Variations on a Theme...Rocket Style

[kwijabo]

Mark A's new build and his reference to Allyn's build from a while ago inspired me to give it a go at a rocket (my first try a couple years ago didn't turn out well due to a lack of experience). some serious good craftsmanship there.

i mostly stuck to the standard layout, but did change a few things slightly including changing the layout of the pre-amp board just a little. you can probably see the rest of the deviations if you're familiar with it.

i really like it. i can see why some call it "fat bottom girl" - certainly has plenty there. but no complaints and a nice sounding amp.

it has the new Pacific transformers from RJ. they worked out real well. thanks RJ.

thanks to mikey (ampmike) here for the making a beautiful custom cab to fit the bigger, 17.5 x 2.5" chassis.

lastly a general thank you to the membership who contribute and provide information here. this wouldn't have turned out as nice if i didn't have your examples and input to guide me.

[Structo]

Great looking amp!

Nice and tidy inside.

I would proud of that amp.

How does it sound?

[Colossal]

Really a great looking build. Very nice, very clean. Great all around. You should be proud of your work.

[M Fowler]

That looks good very detailed wiring should sound fantastic.

[gktamps]

Beautiful! Nice job!

[cbass]

Sweet!

[Reeltarded]

Very nice one!

[Bob S]

Looks really good.
How's the MV sound ?
Beautiful clean build.

[RJ Guitars]

Nice amp! Pacific did a really nice job on the transformers and your build really is well done.

[xtian]

Woah--where did all the heavy filtering go? You got a cap can hidden somewhere?

[M Fowler]

Woah--where did all the heavy filtering go? You got a cap can hidden somewhere?

Looks like a Komet cap board filters underneath.

[RJ Guitars]

Yes, I like the way that was done... kinda honors the stack O caps location but a more elegant and serviceable alternative.

[kwijabo]

thanks for the kind comments. i was hoping this would sound nice enough to be my go-to amp so i took my time. i finished it late last week and played it a lot this last weekend at loud volumes. sounds really nice and surprisingly smooth!

see if this makes sense. my favorite setting is with the volume set so that if you really dig in just a little bit of dirt comes on the notes. so 95% of the time its clean. but that clean sounds like it actually has enough character to not need the dirt. and i usually like a little distortion, so this is the first time i think i've heard a clean setting i would use regularly. this seems to be with the volume at 11 oclock on this amp - i think the PEC pot taper plays a role in that. it is responsive to pick attack with volume at noon, and above that the distortion is n'iiiicce. you could use your guitar volume to clean it up at those settings, i s'pose.

How's the MV sound ?

i like to use the PPIMV in amps by setting it to 7 or 8 out of 10. at that point it doesn't have too much effect on tone but takes off enough to use a 4xEL84 in a bar. below that, yeah it works but it just won't sound as full. pedal might help correct that at low settings?

Woah--where did all the heavy filtering go? You got a cap can hidden somewhere?

mark got it. the rest of the caps are under the board soldered to turrets. OH! and that reminds me that i actually only used 1 x 47uF off the rectifier. so there are two caps on the bottom and three on the top that you can see.

[Mark]

Nice build, good to see Allyn's amp provided inspiration, and my amp provided minor inspiration. How is your output stage going?

What valves did you decide on?

When seeing a modified amp it is interesting to see what people would like different.

A mod I considered was having a push/pull treble switch, the idea being to switch between 50pF and 500pF tone stack treble caps.

I suppose it has been done before, but I wonder how a 12AT7 would perform as a PI driver. The bias would have to be altered but it would provide a lower impedance to the output stage and greater headroom.

[Zippy]

A MID knob! Yes!

I see you're set up for 1/2 power - are you using much in half power mode? Do you hear/feel much difference?

As the risk of being redundant, I applaud your build - very clean. I appreciate the chamfers on the holes where you bring the leads through the boards.

BTW, it looks like the output bypass caps are laying on the heat-sinked cathode resistors. Are they? If so, you might want some stand off so they don't overheat.